Boiler-flue plug



(No Model.) J. 8v J. H. RAPPS 8a W. B. BUCHANAN.

' BOILER FLUE PLUG.

No. 549,155. msm-ed Nov.- 5, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

JOHN RAPPs, JOHN H. RAPPs, AND WILLIAM I3. BUCHANAN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.

SPECIFICATION Application filed 'March 18, 1895.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, JOHN RAPPs, JOHN H. RAPPs, and WILLIAM B. BUCHANAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Visconsin,'have invented a new and useful Boiler- Flue Plug, of which the following is a specication. Y

Our invention relates to a boiler-due plug adapted for use in stopping the ends of boilerflues when said iiues leak by reason of corrosion or other injury; and the object in View is to provide a simple and inexpensive plug which may be inserted with facility and without loss of time in either end of a flue without the necessity of securing the same by a bolt extending through the entire length of the iiue, to provide a compressible plug which may be expanded after insertion in the end of the flue; and, furthermore, to provide a corrosible plug which, after insertion in the flue, is adapted to be secured to the inner surface thereof by corrosion, the composition of the plug being such as to have substantially the same ratio of expansion and contraction under similar degrees of heat as the flues.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a longitudinal section of a plug constructed in accordance with our invention applied in the operative position to a boiler-flue. Fig. 2 is .a detail view, in perspective, of the plug before application Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

l designates a crown-sheet of a boiler, in which is fitted the end of a nue 2, and 3 represents a plug constructed in accordance with our invention and comprising inner and outer heads or plates 4 and 5, a bolt 6, connecting said heads or plates,and a compressible lling 7, interposed between the heads or plates and adapted to be expanded laterally into contact with the inner surface of the iiue by the adjustment of the heads or plates forming part ef` Lettere Patentv No. 549,155, dated November 5, 1895.

Serial No. 541,599. (No model.)

toward each other by means of a nut 8, threaded upon the VOuter extremity of the bolt 6. The inner head or plate 4 is .adapted to iit snugly. within the iiue as shown clearly in Fig. l, and the outer head or plate is of larger diameter than the flue and is provided with an annularly grooved or channeled rim 9 to lit over the bead 10 at the outer end of the flue. The heads or plates are concavo-convex in construction and are arched in opposite directions, whereby their lconcave faces are disposed toward the interposed filling 7, while their convex faces are adapted to receive the pressure of the head ll of the bolt 6 and the nut 8, which is threaded upon the outer end of said bolt. By means of this construction heads or plates constructed of material of comparatively inferior strength may be employed without detracting from the efficiency of the plug.

The iilling 7 which is interposed between the concave faces of the heads or plates is a composition of compressible nature, preferably containing a corrosible ingredient, such as iron-filings, whereby after insertion in the flue, provided sufficient moisture is applied, said filling will become corroded, and thereby fastened securely to the surface of the iue and in effect form a part thereof. In order to hold this interposed filling in proper position before the insertion of the plug in the flue, we preferably employa sheath or cylindrical casing 12, of fusible material, such as tin-foil, whereby after the insertion of the plug in the flue said sheath or casing is melted by the heat of the iiue to allow the ingredients composing the filling to come in direct contact with the surface of the flue.

The necessary moisture for insuring the corrosion of the metallic filings forming a part of the filling is supplied by immersing the plug in water preparatory to inserting it in the iiue, and after insertion the tightening of the nut 8 expands the iilling laterally to cause a uniform contact thereof with the surface, and thus insure a compact structure when the above-described corrosion has taken place.

From the above description it will be seen that the construction of the improved plug is simple and that its application can be ac- IOO complished Without loss 0f time When a leak occurs in any of the flues of a boiler, and, furthermore, when the leak appears at one end of a flue it is not necessary to extend a fastening-bolt throughout the entire length of the flue. Obviously When a leak or collapse occurs at an intermediate point of a flue a plug may be inserted in either end thereof, as in the ordinary practice.

Various changes in the form, proportion,and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the` advantages of this invention. A

Having described our invention, what We claim isl. A boiler iue plug` having a'illing of corrosible material, as metallic filings, adapted to be arranged in contact With the inner surface of a iiue after applying sufficient moisture to insure corrosion, substantially as specified.

2. Aboiler flue plug' having inner and outer heads or plates, an adjusting bolt connecting said plates, and an interposed filling of corrosible material adapted to be expanded laterally by the adjustment of the heads or plates to insure uniform contact with the inner surface of a flue, substantially as speeied.

3. As an article of manufacture, a boiler iue plug having opposite heads or plates Connected by an adjusting bolt, a comminuted filling interposed between the heads or plates, and a sheath or casing of fusible material inclosing said filling and adapted t0 be destroyed by heat subsequent to the insertion of the plug in a boiler` flue to allour Contact of said filling WithV the surface of the flue, substantially as specified,

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto aflixed our si gnatu rcs in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN RAPPS. JOHN H. RAPPS. XVILLTAM B. BUCHANAN.

Wfitnesses:

M. D. MORRIS, J. E. TRUMP. 

